Okafor Left Texas for Big East, UConn

Published 7:00 pm, Wednesday, March 26, 2003

If only Texas had recruited Emeka Okafor, he could have stayed much closer to home.

Instead, the Longhorns pursued a small point guard from Houston who beat Okafor in high school: T.J. Ford.

So unlike Ford, who went to Texas to build a basketball tradition, Okafor left Houston for the Big East and a Connecticut program that already had plenty of history.

"It's a championship school with a championship coach," said Okafor, who fielded offers from Vanderbilt, Rice, Georgia Tech, Arkansas and had Texas Tech's Bob Knight visit his home. "I figured, `Why not?'"

Okafor's move has paid off for fifth-seeded UConn (23-9), which plays top-seeded Texas (24-6) Friday night in the South Regional semifinals at the Alamodome.

The winner advances to play Sunday against Maryland or Michigan State for a spot in the Final Four.

An academic All-American with a 3.73 grade-point average in finance, Okafor has emerged as a defensive force for the Huskies. He averages 4.7 blocks, along with 15.7 points and 11 rebounds.

In a first-round win over Brigham Young, he had 20 points and seven blocks. He followed that with 18 points and 15 rebounds against Stanford.

With a school-record 288 career blocks, the sophomore was the Big East defensive player of the year. At 6-foot-9, 250 pounds, he's the kind of aggressive and athletic player who would fit perfectly into the Longhorns' lineup.

But Texas didn't pursue him because it had only two scholarships _ one was promised to Chris Wright, who has yet to play because of knee injuries, the other went to a particular point guard.

"We probably made a mistake, but we thought we'd stick around and see if we could get T.J. Ford," Barnes joked. "Did I think he was going to be a good player? I don't think anyone knew Okafor was going to be as good as he is right now.

"I wish we could take them all," Barnes said. "I wish we had 15 scholarships."

Ford knew Okafor from AAU games. Their high school teams also met in the state playoffs, with Ford's winning.

"He's made a big improvement from high school to now," Ford said.

Okafor might have looked at Texas if only the Longhorns had looked at him.

"They were looking for a point guard," Okafor said. "So that forced me to look outward."

In landing Ford, Texas signed its biggest prize ever. He's lived up to his billing, leading the nation in assists as a freshman and developing into one of the country's best players this season.

Now he's hoping to help the team get the kind of recognition he's received.

"A chance to win a championship would be great," Ford said. "It would create an atmosphere and buzz around the country like a North Carolina or Duke. Texas would be one of those teams."

Ford is averaging 15 points and 7.4 assists and has played his best in Texas' biggest games.

He had 21 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in a second-round win over Purdue, and earlier this week he won the Naismith Award as the best player in the country.

"Not only is he good, but he's special," UConn coach Jim Calhoun said. "He is dangerous any time he has the ball."

Ford's ability to pass around Okafor or shoot over him will be key to Texas' chances of advancing to the regional finals for the first time since 1990. The little point guard has a healthy respect for his friend.

"I just hope to get the ball up before he gets a hand on it," Ford said.

Okafor will also have to fend off Texas' James Thomas, who averages 11.2 points and 11.1 rebounds.

"I like to call him a beast," Okafor said. "It will be two beasts battling."

Okafor's return to his home state means he and the Huskies will be playing what some call a home game for the Longhorns. The Texas campus in Austin is less than 80 miles from the Alamodome.

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"It doesn't matter where you play, you still have to play," Ford said. "They'll have their fans here. The game is not won by the fans, it's won between the lines."